In Between
by Phanstarlight
Summary: Snapshots from different characters' lives between all the drama and mayhem of defending, prosecuting, and investigating. Mostly unrelated drabbles.
1. Of Diners and Burgers

**This is just a cute idea I thought of one day. More little drabbles like this will be on the way soon. This one is set during the first game. Unfortunately, I don't own any rights to the Ace Attorney franchise. Enjoy!**

It was quite an odd arrangement if anyone stopped for a moment to think about it. But it had become a sort of tradition now. After every case Phoenix won, he would invite his client and everyone who had worked on the case to go out and celebrate at the diner down the road from his office. It was a cheap place with average food and less than average decor but it suited them perfectly. Maya had been the one to start it all. After Phoenix cleared her name for the murder of her sister and put the true killer safely behind bars, he had suggested that they went out somewhere together. He knew he was tight on money, but he felt it was his duty to look after his mentor's sister for at least a little longer. Much to Phoenix's surprise (and his wallet's relief) all Maya wanted to do was go to the cheap diner down the street that Mia always used to tell her about and scoff hamburgers. So, that's exactly what they did. Then a month later when Will Powers was clearer, Maya suggested they did the same thing. But what really sealed the tradition- if anyone could really call it that- was when Phoenix proved Edgeworth's innocence in both the murder of Robert Hammond and Edgeworth's father 15 years ago and convicted Manfred Von Karma for the criminal he really was. Everyone had gathered in the defendant's lobby, chattering excitedly and congratulating Phoenix on winning the case. His eyes found Edgeworth's and his smile grew.

"So, it's finally over Edgeworth"

"Wright. I... I'm not sure how to say this"

"I know, I know! Try 'thank you'" Maya butted in, causing Phoenix to roll his eyes. A vaguely stuttered 'thank you' came from Edgeworth's lips and Maya was definitely not impressed. But Phoenix could only smile because he knew that not matter what, his friend had meant it with everything he had even if he couldn't show it. Everyone gathered in together for a photo thanks to Lota. A shiver travelled down Phoenix's spine and for a moment he heard the whisper of someone who sounded almost like Mia. But the thought was washed away in a tidal wave of cheers as the moment was snapped in the form of an everlasting photograph. The talking and laughter started up once more until Maya yelled something about food (as usual) and a chorus of voices agreed with her.

"I was thinking somewhere nice; a fancy restaurant fit for the occasion!" Maya teased with a sarcastic tone that even Edgeworth seemed to pick up on. Phoenix instantly knew what she was up to and after a moment of consideration, he agreed. The whole group of them wandered down to the little diner. It wasn't too far from the courthouse and they arrived in under 20 minutes. The regular waitress greeted them with a friendly smile and even called Phoenix by name once their table was ready (which was almost all of the tables in the tiny diner pushed together in the middle of the room). Phoenix and Maya sat opposite each other at the very end near the window. Larry sat beside Maya (the two of them had been talking non-stop about the Steel Samurai the whole way there) and Lota sat on the other side. Gumshoe sat opposite her, a huge smile on his face, and Edgeworth finally sat himself down between Phoenix and the detective. The combined force of their hunger caused them to collectively order almost everything on the menu.

After that, it became a cemented idea that after Phoenix won a case, everyone would be dragged down to that little diner. It was cheap and tacky, the room was usually either too hot or too cold, and the chairs were almost always broken.

But none of them would have had it any other way.


	2. Families Come In All Shapes And Sizes

**This drabble is set during JFA.**

Maya hummed quietly to herself as she walked down the street towards the office. She had left early the previous day to go visit a friend who had come over from Kurain to visit her. When she left, Pearl had been bugging Phoenix to watch the latest episode of Pink Princess with her but Phoenix had seemed so buried in case files that he hardly even heard her. Maya secretly hoped that the case they were all working on would be solved soon so the three of them could have a little day out together. She knew Phoenix would adore Pearl if only they actually had some time to be with each other and bond a little. Suddenly Maya stopped in her tracks as she remembered how Phoenix had looked after her when her sister had been murdered. Pearl only really had her now after what happened with her mother and Mimi Miney. While Maya was grateful to look after her little cousin, she knew she shouldn't be the only person Pearl could turn to. Phoenix had been there for Maya when she had no one else and she hoped he would eventually do the same for Pearl. Shaking herself a little, she pulled herself out of her thoughts and continued walking towards the office.

Once she finally made it up to the office she was exhausted- since the elevator wasn't working she had no choice but to walk up the whole six flights of stairs. As she approached the door she heard voices coming from inside, but they were slightly muffled and Maya realised the voices were coming from the TV rather than anyone inside. She frowned to herself for a moment, presuming Phoenix had left the TV on the previous night and she knew how much that would raise the electricity bill- extra money they could not afford to pay right now. But as she unlocked the door and stepped inside, she saw a very different picture to the one she had been expecting. She had been right in the fact that the TV was on. But sat on the couch in front of it was Phoenix with his arms wrapped around Pearl's shoulders as she lay curled into his side. There was a blanket draped over them and they were both fast asleep. Not even the knowledge of how big the electricity bill was going to be could stop Maya's smile or her heart from soaring in her chest as she looked at the two of them. As she walked towards the TV to switch it off, she saw Pearl shuffle her body slightly before she grumbled quietly and eventually opened her eyes.

"Good morning, Mystic Maya. You're here early" Pearl said as she tried to stifle a yawn, squinting at the sunlight coming in through the windows.

"How did you sleep?" Maya smiled, tilting her head towards Phoenix who was also waking up. Pearl giggled but said nothing as Maya sat down beside her and gave her a playful nudge.

"What time is it?" Phoenix asked Maya before yawning loudly and stretching out his arms, narrowly missing the top of Pearl's head as he did so.

"About 9:30. I see you two had a late night. The case keeping you up?" Maya directed that last part mostly to Phoenix but before he could reply, Pearl butted in.

"Mr Nick watched a whole season of The Pink Princess with me! We stayed up for hours" Pearl beamed and Maya looked over to see Phoenix smiling down at her cousin. And that was when she finally saw it- the same look that had shone in his eyes when he had read her sister's final message which had given the company to him and their friendship had begun. It was not directed at her this time, but rather at Pearl. Maya smiled with so much happiness that she was certain her cheeks would burst. Suddenly, she pulled the two of them forwards, squashing them into a hug. Pearl laughed and hugged her cousin back tightly.

"What's brought on this sudden bout of affection?" Phoenix questioned lightheartedly as he wrapped his arms over Pearl and onto Maya's shoulders.

"I'm happy" was her only reply.


	3. The World's Greatest Magician

**This one is set in between AJ:AA and DD.**

It all began a few weeks ago. Apollo had noticed Trucy was acting strangely; she didn't smile as much, she spent most of her time in her bedroom, she hardly looked anyone in the eye, and she didn't even want to show Apollo any new magic tricks anymore. At first, he had asked Phoenix about it and he simply brushed it off as normal teenage behaviour, which Apollo had found rather odd since he had always been very protective over his daughter. But he began to wonder if his boss was right. About a month ago, Apollo's landlord had sold his apartment out from underneath him and he probably would have become homeless if Phoenix hadn't offered for him to live with them for a while. This meant he saw a lot more of Trucy than he usually did so maybe this was just how she acted at home. But something about that idea didn't sit right with Apollo. So, after another couple of days of consideration, he decided to ask Trucy herself about what was going on. He waited until she came home from school and, predictably, went straight to her room without so much as a 'hello' to Apollo. Phoenix was still working at the office and it seemed like he was going to be there for a while yet so he let Trucy have a few minutes by herself before going up and knocking on her bedroom door.

"You in there, Trucy?" Apollo asked through the door.

"Yeah, why?" Trucy replied so quietly that Apollo could barely hear her.

"I'd like to talk with you about something. Mind if I come in?"

"One moment" Trucy replied and Apollo heard some vague shuffling noises through the door before it opened to reveal Trucy standing in front of him. She stepped back and let him in before sitting down on the edge of her bed. After a slightly awkward pause, Apollo sat down next to her.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Trucy asked with a smile though Apollo could see how forced it was.

"I wanted to talk about you, actually. Is everything okay with you at the moment?" Apollo said softly, hoping that his tone would make her feel like it was safe to tell him what was bothering her.

"I'm fine," Trucy said shortly, still trying to smile.

"But I can see you're not. At first, I didn't think much of it but you've been like this for weeks now and I'm starting to get worried" Apollo reached out and held one of her hands in his.

"I-I'm okay, really" Trucy managed to say but when she turned her head away so Apollo couldn't see her face, anyone would be able to see she was lying. Apollo squeezed her hand to try and reassure her and for a moment he got no response. Then he heard a quiet sniff and he realised Trucy was starting to cry. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her shaking body towards him. Instantly she fell into his hold and buried her face into his shoulder, her hands gripping onto the back of his shirt. Apollo hushed her quietly and stroked little circles along her back to calm her down. She mumbled something against his shoulder and he had to shift her slightly so she was facing towards him to hear what she had said.

"It's not fair" she repeated.

"What isn't fair?" Apollo asked seriously, keeping one arm around Trucy as she moved to sit up next to him and rest her head on his shoulder.

"These girls at school keep making fun of me" Trucy admitted quietly and Apollo's body tensed a little at hearing those words.

"Why? What are they saying?"

"They don't think I can become a real magician"

"What? That's ridiculous! You're the Gramarye heir, it's in your blood to be the greatest magician the world has ever seen. I've seen your magic first hand and I can personally tell you that you are amazing"

"You're just saying that..." Trucy tried to look away but Apollo placed a finger under her chin and gently pushed her head back to face him.

"I'm being completely honest, Trucy. You are going to blow the whole world away with your magic one day and nothing anyone says is going to stop that from happening" Apollo said with such determination that Trucy was momentarily speechless.

"You really believe I can do it?" she whispered in surprise.

"Of course you can!" Apollo smiled and slowly a smile formed on Trucy's lips too. Suddenly Apollo jumped up onto the bed, causing Trucy to gasp in surprise.

"Ah, I can see it now. 'Trucy Wright, the world's greatest magician' plastered on every billboard across the country" Apollo made dramatic arm gestures as he spoke, causing Trucy to laugh.

"Of course, I'll be walking down all the red carpets with you" Apollo joked.

"What if I don't want you to come?" Trucy teased, looking up at Apollo.

"Then I guess I'll just have to... tickle you until you let me!" Apollo laughed before pouncing on Trucy and relentlessly tickling her. She kicked and squealed as giggles burst out from her.

Down the stairs, Phoenix opened the front door and walked into the apartment. Immediately he heard the laughter of his daughter and couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. It was nice to hear her laugh again. And when he heard Apollo's laugh mix in with hers, Phoenix let out his own joyful chuckle. Whether they knew it or not, Apollo and Trucy truly were brother and sister.


	4. The Annual Christmas Party

**Merry Christmas everyone! (and happy Saturday to those of you who don't celebrate it). Here's a little Christmasy themed story for you set between DD and SoJ :)**

"That has got to be the biggest Christmas tree I have ever seen"

Edgeworth turned around to see Phoenix standing behind him, staring at the Christmas tree in the corner. Every year prosecutors, attorneys, and detectives (usually plus a few others as well) gathered for a Christmas party. This year was Edgeworth's year to host and- being Chief Prosecutor- he had decided to leave no expense spared. A large spread of food and drink covered the long dining table, decorations hung from the ceiling and walls, music played from the speakers in every room, and Edgeworth's tree stood proudly in the corner of the living room.

"As I recall, your 'Christmas tree' last year was a rather pathetic looking stick with about 3 baubles on it" Edgeworth joked as he stepped next to his friend.

"Hey! I was very proud of that tree, thank you very much" Phoenix gasped in mock offence, causing Edgeworth to chuckle at his ridiculous expression.

"Well, this is certainly more impressive that what I put together last year" Phoenix vaguely gestured around them, remembering the slight disaster the previous year's party had been. To say it was done on a very small budget would be an understatement. But not everyone could afford huge trees, mountains of food, and lavish decorations, right? The evening rolled on peacefully as more guests arrived.

"Polly! Look at that tree, it's massive" Phoenix smiled as he heard the voice of his daughter from the door. She had her arm linked with Apollo's and both of them were completely captivated by the decorations around the room. Well, until Trucy was suddenly swept off the floor by Larry who walked in the door behind them.

"Uncle Larry!" Trucy giggled as Larry spun her round in his arms. Eventually he put her back down on her feet, ruffled her hair slightly and then walked over towards Edgeworth and Phoenix.

"Merry Christmas!" he exclaimed, throwing his arm around Phoenix's shoulders.

"Merry Christmas" Phoenix and Edgeworth simultaneously replied.

"The old team, back together at last" Maya said, appearing behind the three men and handing them each a glass of champagne.

"I'll drink to that" Phoenix quietly laughed, before gently knocking his glass against Maya's, Edgeworth's, and Larry's. He found himself smiling as he looked at the scene around him; Simon in complete hysterics (which was quite an odd sight in itself) along with Ema at a joke Athena had told them, Trucy and Pearl dancing together, Klavier and Apollo bickering over something or other, and his three closest friends laughing and talking by his sides.

"This Christmas will be a good one" Phoenix muttered mostly to himself, sipping at his drink.

"Unlike so many others..." Edgeworth sighed.

"You don't have to worry about any of that now, you've got all of us" Phoenix smiled sympathetically, knowing exactly what Edgeworth was thinking about. For many years, Christmas had meant nothing but loss and longing for him. But now, things were different for all of them.

"Plus, you know your dad would want you to enjoy Christmas" Larry pointed out, nudging his shoulder against Edgeworth's.

"Hey, boss! You have _got_ to see this" Athena called over before pointing towards a combination of things that were bound to be hilarious- Klavier, Apollo, lots of alcohol, and a karaoke machine. Phoenix shrugged helplessly towards his friends as they all walked over to the growing crowd around the karaoke machine.

"Daddy!" Trucy giggled as she appeared by Phoenix's side. She was holding out her phone, ready to take photos of Apollo which would probably be used to blackmail him at one point or another. Phoenix rolled his eyes but picked her up so she could get a better view nonetheless and looked over to see Maya doing the same for Pearl. Phoenix allowed himself to look across the crowd of his friends as they gathered together in the magic of Christmas (and terrible 90's karaoke songs). Then he turned back to Klavier and Apollo who had now ended up standing on the table as they sang. A smile made its way to his lips and stayed there for the rest of the night.


	5. New Years

**Happy New Year everyone! This drabble is set in the same year as the previous drabble.**

"It's parties left, right, and centre this year" Maya joked as her and Athena were trying to figure out which lipstick would work better with each of their outfits- an activity Phoenix was completely baffled by as he ran his fingers through his hair in front of the mirror just to make sure everything was still in place. This year, as well as the annual Christmas party, they would all be attending a new years party hosted at the Prosecutor building. Strictly speaking, only prosecutors and their direct subordinates were supposed to attend but since Edgeworth was Chief Prosecutor and he could do whatever he wanted (as Phoenix had once so lightly put it) he had invited everyone at the Wright Anything Agency, along with a few others.

"It is pretty cool. But I swear to God if Klavier gets drunk and ends up on the tables dancing like he did at Christmas, I will _not_ be the one getting him down this time" Apollo huffed as he put on his shoes.

"But, didn't you get up on the table and join him?" Maya cocked her head and smiled over at him. Apollo's only answer was to blush and become very interested in retying his shoelaces, causing both Maya and Athena to laugh at him.

"What do you think?" Trucy asked as she walked out the bathroom, twirling to let everyone see her new dress.

"You look lovely" Phoenix smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head, making Trucy giggle quietly before she went over to help Athena with her hair. A few minutes later, everyone was stood by the door with their coats.

"Is everyone ready?" Phoenix called out and, at the sight of everyone nodding, he opened the door and they all began walking towards the Prosecutors' building. None of them had been to the Prosecutors' building for anything other than to talk to a few select prosecutors about cases they were on together, but even that was a rare occasion. So, no one really had any idea of what to expect. The front door was already open, so slowly they all filed inside.

"You made it!" Edgeworth smiled as he made his way through the crowd towards them. But no one apart from Phoenix was actually paying him any notice. The others were all too taken aback at everyone else in the room to notice Edgeworth at all.

"I've never seen them all look so... happy" Apollo commented, not taking his eyes off the crowd of smiling and laughing prosecutors as he took off his coat.

"And relaxed" Athena added.

"So, you're the famous Wright Anything Agency attorneys," a girl about Maya's age said as she appeared next Edgeworth.

"Everyone, this is Kay Faraday. I met her almost 10 years ago now but I don't believe you've ever been formally introduced" Edgeworth said as he introduced the bubbly girl. As the evening went on, the group slowly dispersed into their usual circles; Athena with Simon and Ema, Apollo with Klavier and Trucy as well as Franziska since she had become close friends with Klavier over the past few months, and Phoenix with Edgeworth and Maya with the extra addition of Kay.

"Long time, no see" a voice called from the doorway.

"Gummy!" Kay almost yelled and immediately ran over to the former detective and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"It really has been a long time, hasn't it Gumshoe?" Phoenix laughed once Kay had finally let go of her friend.

"Almost 10 years, actually. It's good to see you, pal" Gumshoed patted Phoenix on the back affectionately.

"How's Maggey?" Edgeworth asked, handing Gumshoe a glass of wine from the table behind him.

"She's doing well. The kids are driving her a little insane- they're at the teething and screaming the house down age- but we both know it's all worth it" Gumshoe smiled softly at the thought of his family. Suddenly the clock started chiming and everyone simultaneously realised it was almost midnight. Together they counted down the seconds to the turn of the year.

"Happy new year!" everyone cheered, raising their glasses in a toast to the coming year. The night continued as people wished each other well for the year to come and the next few hours flew past. Phoenix only realised how late it had gotten when he looked over his shoulder and saw his daughter, Athena, and Apollo all curled up together on one of the couches, fast asleep despite the noise around them.

"We should probably get going" Phoenix laughed softly to Edgeworth as they looked over at the sleeping trio.

"That might be wise" Edgeworth smiled.

"Happy new year, Edgeworth"

"You too, Wright"


	6. Not As Heartless As You Think

**This one is based on a little headcanon I hold dear to my heart. It's set somewhere in the original trilogy.**

The first time Gumshoe found a small pile of money on his desk, he thought someone must have left it there by accident. He asked almost everyone in Criminal Affairs and they all denied owning the money. He was about to hand it into the Chief and claim that someone had clearly lost it when he saw a slip of paper on the desk where the money had been when he first saw it. Written on the paper was a single word- Gumshoe. For a few moments, he stared at his name in confusion until he realised that the note had been put on his desk with the money, meaning that the money really was for him. But who could it have been from? He didn't recall losing any money recently and it certainly wasn't going to be part of a pay rise.

"Maybe you've got a secret admirer" one of his co-workers joked and for a moment Gumshoe's mind thought of a certain someone who seemed to have rather bad luck a lot of the time, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Without knowing what else to do, Gumshoe took the money home with him that night.

Everything continued as normal for a while until a major slip up in an investigation (which wasn't entirely his fault) caused Gumshoe's salary to suffer at the hands of Miles Edgeworth. The detective braced himself for a diet of pot noodles for the next month but the next day when he arrived at work he found an envelope next to his computer addressed to him. Instead of finding a letter like he had expected, he pulled out a check. The sum of money wasn't particularly grand but it would certainly lend a helping hand over the next couple of months. The signature at the bottom was indecipherable but Gumshoe was sure he recognised it from somewhere. So, he gratefully tucked the envelope into his pocket without question.

But after this, things started getting a little stranger both inside and outside Criminal Affairs. Money started appearing on his desk more regularly. The amount rarely changed from one time to the next and it had never been a particularly large sum to start with, but it was enough to help him with his rent and food. Also, Edgeworth seemed to be acting less harshly towards him. Maybe it was because Gumshoe's salary had suffered a lot at the hands of the prosecutor and he had decided to give him a breather. But Gumshoe had a feeling it was something deeper than that. For a few more days, the detective didn't think on the matter much further. But then he (quite literally) bumped into Edgeworth while going into work.

"Watch where you're going" Edgeworth huffed, brushing off his jacket.

"Sorry, sir" Gumshoe instantly apologised.

"Oh, it's you" Edgeworth looked almost surprised as he realised exactly who had walked into him.

"Pardon me asking, but what exactly are you doing here, sir?" Gumshoe asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing" Edgeworth replied quietly, looking anywhere but at the detective. Before Gumshoe could question him further, he turned and walked away. Gumshoe stared after him in confusion for a few seconds before shrugging to himself and going inside. At first, he didn't see anything wrong but once he got closer to his desk, he saw a few of his colleges gathered around it.

"What's going on?" Gumshoe called out to the group. They all turned around and, as soon as they saw him, quickly shuffled off to their own desks. Curious as to what they were all looking at, Gumshoe approached his desk. That was when he finally noticed the brightly coloured balloons attached to the side of his desk and haphazard patches of confetti spread across the surface. In the middle of it all was an envelope addressed to the detective. Seeing no other option, Gumshoe picked up the envelope and turned it over a few times in his hands before opening it up and reading its contents.

 _Dear Detective Gumshoe,_

 _I know I am not the best when it comes to appreciating you and the work you do. Often, I expect only perfection and I forget that both you and I are only human- mistakes are bound to be made. Please accept this, and everything before this, as a kind of apology._

 _~Miles Edgeworth_

Gumshoe stared down at the letter, completely speechless. Noticing something was still inside the envelope, he reached in and pulled out a check for almost double his usual salary and a more official looking letter that stated he was receiving a pay rise. For the rest of that day, nothing could take away Gumshoe's smile. Not even when he was called out to investigate a murder scene. When he arrived at the scene, he saw Edgeworth already stood next to the body.

"Hello, sir" Gumshoe called, walking over to him.

"Oh, hello Gumshoe" Edgeworth replied, seeming a little more on edge than usual. But Gumshoe knew there was no way Edgeworth was going to want to talk about what he had done in front of everyone- he couldn't even do it in front of Gumshoe himself, he had to tell him via letter. So, Gumshoe went straight to the investigation at hand. After realising he wasn't going to reveal anything in front of the crowd around them, Edgeworth appeared to relax a little. The 'thank you' was never spoken, but any time they caught each other's eye they both knew it was most definitely there.


	7. Of Shopping And Candy Aisles

**This cute little drabble is set just after T &T. **

Edgeworth should have known this was a bad idea. All he had wanted to do was buy his groceries for the week, but somehow Phoenix had managed to convince him to take him along since he also needed to do some shopping. Apparently, this also meant both Maya and Pearl had to come too ('how could I leave the two of them of their own? Plus, they love shopping with me' had been Phoenix's rather flimsy excuse). So, the four of them crammed into Edgeworth's car and headed towards the store.

"An adventure with all four of us, how exciting!" Pearl giggled.

"We're only going to the store, Pearly" Maya pointed out, nudging her shoulder against her cousin's.

"But still, it's going to be fun" Pearl beamed and Maya couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. Even Edgeworth couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips at the 8 year old's happiness at something as simple as going grocery shopping.

"See, I told you it wouldn't be that bad" Phoenix whispered over to Edgeworth when he noticed him smiling. After a few minutes of driving in circles around the car park, Edgeworth finally found a space (thanks to Maya's keen eyes) and the four of them entered the store. Everything seemed to be going perfectly fine as Edgeworth picked up a basket and they began making their way through the aisles... until they reached the candy aisle. Naturally, Pearl was the first to run over and stare longingly at rows of candy bars and sweets. Edgeworth turned to see Maya running after her and assumed she was going to make sure her cousin wasn't going to get lost on her own. So, he turned back and resumed his shopping. Only when he went to ask Phoenix something nearly 10 minutes later did he notice that none of the people he had arrived with appeared to be anywhere in sight.

"Wright? Maya? Pearl? Anyone?" Edgeworth called out, looking up and down the aisle but no reply came from them. Frowning, he began searching the store. He had walked around almost the entire place before he finally found them.

"There you are. Why did you all dis- what are you all looking at?" Edgeworth tilted his head in confusion. His eyes slowly followed Phoenix's eye line and came to rest on one of the biggest candy bars he had ever seen. This was when he realised he had found the three of them in the candy aisle.

"Can we buy it?" Pearls asked wistfully.

"Yeah, we promise to share it," Maya said a little louder.

"Please Edgeworth" Phoenix pouted and Edgeworth had to do a double take. He flicked his head towards them to see they were no longer looking at the candy bar but rather at him. He spluttered slightly at their longing expressions, having absolutely no idea what to say. He took a deep breath and gave all three of them his best 'Demon Prosecutor' glare. He managed to last roughly 15 seconds before Pearl smiled brightly at him and he immediately caved in.

"Fine, I'll buy it for you" Edgeworth sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Yay!" Maya and Pearl squealed together. It took both him and Phoenix to carry it and once they finally made it to the tills, the cashier watched Maya and Pearl giggle with a frown on her face.

"I'll be paying," Edgeworth said.

"Of course you will, " she said slightly distastefully, looking him up and down. Edgeworth paid no attention to her, paid for the candy bar, and managed to get it into the back of his car without _too_ much difficulty.

"Thank you, Mr Edgeworth!" Pearl beamed and hugged him. Edgeworth froze in place, unsure of what to do. Eventually, he tentatively wrapped an arm around her small frame and lightly returned the embrace. Pearl offered him one final smile before climbing into the back of the car. Edgeworth shook his head, a soft smile forming on his lips as he too slipped into the car. For most of the way back, Maya and Pearl chatted happily to each other but Phoenix and Edgeworth remained quiet. Then, just as Edgeworth was parking outside Phoenix's apartment block, Phoenix turned to his friend.

"They've been wanting it for weeks but I just couldn't afford it" Phoenix admitted quietly.

"So that's why you wanted to come shopping with me?" Edgeworth replied in an equally quiet voice.

"Sorry" Phoenix sighed, looking away slightly ashamed.

"Don't worry about it" Edgeworth smiled and Phoenix stared at him in shock for a moment before returning the smile.

"Thank you" Phoenix whispered as he opened the car door and got out. The three of them waved Edgeworth goodbye as they stood outside Phoenix's apartment building, Phoenix and Maya holding onto the giant candy bar. Edgeworth had never considered himself the type of person who would deal well with having a family. But as he looked back at his friends as he drove away and saw their smiling faces, he decided that assumption may not have been entirely true.


	8. Embarrassment

Apollo never knew he could blush as hard as he was blushing right this second. He couldn't even bring himself to move his eyes from where they were fixed, staring at his feet. Athena was the only one actually laughing by this point but he could feel the stifled sniggers and smirks directed at him from everyone else in the room. Why did it always have to be him?

"One more time, I need to hear that one more time" Athena managed to say between her laughter. So, Phoenix started to tell them all the mortifying story for the third time.

Apollo had been minding his own business, sitting on the couch in the office and briefly looking over some notes for his case later that day. He had woken up at a ridiculously early time so he could get to the office before everyone else and have some peace and quiet. But this meant that by the time someone else- this person being Phoenix- actually arrived, Apollo was already quite tired.

"You're here early" Phoenix commented. Apollo hummed in response and vaguely waved the pile of paper in his hands towards his boss before going back to reading them. Silence fell over the office once more as Apollo continued reading. After a few minutes, he could feel his eyes growing heavy and the words on the page were beginning to blur in his mind. Suddenly, a mug of coffee appeared in front of him and it took Apollo a moment to realise that Phoenix was offering it to him. He reached out and took it after a brief pause. Phoenix smiled softly before turning and walking back towards his desk. But before he could make it very far, Apollo said something he could have never predicted.

"Thanks dad" Apollo sleepily mumbled and Phoenix froze mid-step. At first, Apollo hadn't seemed to register what he had said and continued to drink his coffee as though nothing had happened. Phoenix smiled slightly and decided to let it slide, until a voice sounded from the doorway.

"Apollo, did you just call Nick 'dad'?" Maya asked while leaning against the door frame, her hand covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. Apollo promptly spat out his mouthful of coffee and began spluttering in an attempt to explain himself.

"Maya! I wasn't going to say anything" Phoenix sighed, a sheepish smile forming along his lips nonetheless. Apollo's cheeks were red from both embarrassment and breathlessness as he looked down at the floor, unable to say anything. So, of course, that exact moment just _had_ to be when Trucy entered the office.

"Hey guys, how's everyone- wait, what's going on?" Trucy frowned when she noticed the look on Apollo's face and Maya's restrained laughter.

"Apollo called Nick 'dad'" Maya blurted out before Phoenix could stop her.

"What?!" Trucy laughed, turning to Apollo whose face had managed to go even redder.

"All I did was hand him a cup of coffee," Phoenix said in his defence as Trucy turned to look at him.

"I-I'm just tired, okay? I've been here since 6 am" Apollo mumbled, staring at the floor.

"What on earth made you get here so early?" Maya frowned. Apollo said nothing but pointed towards the case notes he had been reading just minutes before.

"I feel like I need to get this into my magic show somehow" Trucy mused and Apollo's head shot up to stare at her.

"No! You can't do that!" he said, frantically waving his hands at her.

"Why not? It's so funny!" Trucy giggled at both the situation and Apollo's part shocked, part fearful expression.

"What's funny?" Athena asked, appearing at the door.

"Oh, not you too" Apollo groaned, putting his head in his hands.

"Apollo called me 'dad'" Phoenix said, despite Apollo's clear embarrassment over the matter.

"What? Seriously?" Athena laughed, her eyes wide with shock. So, Phoenix and Maya told the story to Athena who doubled over with giggles. Apollo sighed to himself, knowing full well that none of them were going to let him live this down. Why couldn't someone else in this place experience crippling embarrassment for once?


	9. This Is War

"Stop killing me!"

"Well, I would if you weren't so terrible at this"

Maya and Apollo were sat crossed legged in front of the TV in the Wright Anything Agency office, game controllers gripped tightly in their hands. Phoenix had taken Trucy out for lunch and Athena was down at Criminal Affairs checking over some evidence with Ema; this left Apollo and Maya alone at the office. It all started out as a casual, normal conversation. Until Maya caught sight of the game console out of the corner of her eye and got an idea. Without explaining what she was doing, she walked over to it, plugged it into the TV, grabbed two of the controllers, and sat down on the floor. When she noticed Apollo hadn't moved, she tapped the spot on the floor beside her and signalled for Apollo to join her. Confused, Apollo sat down next to her and crossed his legs. Just as she handed him a controller, the title of the game they were about to play appeared on the screen.

"Smash Bros? Really?" Apollo raised his eyebrows.

"What? It's not like we have anything better to do" Maya commented.

"Fine, you're on" Apollo smirked, his competitive side already beginning to show. They had only been playing for about fifteen minutes before Maya had to take a break because she was laughing so much she could barely see the screen anymore.

"I'm sorry, Apollo. It's just, you're so bad at this!" Maya managed to say once the majority of her laughing fit was out of the way.

"Okay, so I'm a little rusty" Apollo admitted "That still doesn't mean you have to laugh at me _this_ much" But nothing he said could stop Maya's laughter. Apollo sighed and stood up.

"Oh, come on! Don't start sulking about it" Maya said, turning around. But before she could see Apollo, a cushion hit her square in the face. Instantly, Apollo burst out laughing so Maya picked up another cushion and threw it at him which he managed to easily dodge. Just as she picked up a third cushion, the original cushion hit her stomach.

"At least give me a fair fight!" Maya protested.

"It's not like you were giving _me_ a fair fight earlier" Apollo replied and Maya had no choice but to agree with him on that point.

"I leave you two alone for one hour and you're already arguing?" Phoenix sighed from the doorway as Trucy stood next to him, giggling at Apollo and Maya's shocked faces.

"It was his fault!" Maya instantly said, pointing towards Apollo who turned bright red at her accusation.

"No it wasn't, this started because of you!" Apollo frowned.

"Wait a minute, is that what you two were doing?" Trucy asked, pointing towards the TV. Apollo's eyes went wide as he watched Phoenix's face- how was he going to explain to his boss why he was slacking off?

"Let me guess, Maya wiped the floor with you" Phoenix smiled and Apollo blushed from a mixture of embarrassment and relief.

"He was terrible!" Maya burst out and began laughing again. Without thinking about it, Apollo picked up the cushion to threw it at her. As soon as it left his hand, he realised what he had just done. Slowly, he turned around to face Phoenix. But to his surprise, his boss actually started laughing.

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side here" Maya pouted and threw the cushion back at Phoenix. He caught it easily but, inside of throwing it towards Maya like everyone had been expecting, he turned and threw it at Trucy.

"That was a big mistake," Trucy said darkly and, for a moment, Apollo was actually quite scared for Phoenix's safety. She then picked up the cushion by her feet and began hitting her father with it. Phoenix ran towards the couch, grabbed another cushion, and used it as a shield. As he backed away from Trucy, he bumped into Maya who immediately began hitting him with her cushion.

"Come on, this isn't fair! Two against one. Apollo, a little help here?" Phoenix called out. Apollo took a moment to laugh at his boss looking so helpless before jumping (literally) to his aid and throwing a cushion at Trucy. The next thirty minutes continued in much the same way- cushions were thrown, barricades were created from couches, bookshelves, and even Charley at some points, truces were quickly made and then almost instantly broken. But during the course of this cushion fight, something quite important had completely slipped Phoenix's mind- Edgeworth was coming over to the office to get back some evidence he had needed to the previous day's trial.

"Wright, I'm-" Edgeworth started to say as he opened the door but stopped short when he saw the sight in front of him- couches tipped over, bookshelves moved away from the walls, the piano pulled out with Maya hiding behind it, Apollo making some kind of cushion wall in the corner, and Phoenix and Trucy in the middle of the room, each one side of the coffee table. Suddenly, a cushion went flying past Apollo's shoulder and hit Edgeworth's stomach. The room fell silent and precisely ten seconds rolled past as Edgeworth held the cushion in his hands and the others stared at him, unsure of what to do. Then a wicked grin spread across Edgeworth's face and he threw the cushion directly into Phoenix's face. He used everyone's combined surprise to throw a further two cushions- another one towards Phoenix and one at Maya. Once the others managed to recover from the shock, all five of them broke out into a full-on cushion war. Edgeworth, as it turned out, had incredible aim and even managed to hit Maya and Trucy with one cushion in a single throw. By the time the war was finally over, the room was a complete mess and all five of them were so out of breath that they could hardly move.

"I never knew you had such perfect aim, Edgeworth" Maya commented once she caught her breath back.

"Blame Wright," Edgeworth said with a soft smile. Confused, Maya, Apollo, and Trucy all turned to look at Phoenix.

"We used to have massive pillow fights when we were kids" Phoenix explained, allowing a hint of wistfulness into his voice.

"Larry used to have such terrible aim" Edgeworth laughed quietly and Phoenix nodded.

"We should probably tidy up," Apollo said, but no one made any effort to move.

About an hour later, Athena returned to find the office door open. Confused, she stepped inside and her hand flew to her mouth in shock at what she saw. The couches were both tipped on their sides, the bookshelf and the piano had been pulled away from the walls, and the entire office looked a complete mess. But even after seeing all of that, nothing could stop the smile forming on her lips when she saw her boss, Apollo, Maya, Trucy, and Edgeworth leant against the back of one of the couches, all fast asleep. Not wanting to wake any of them up, she quietly tiptoed around them as she returned the office to a vaguely presentable state, that warm smile never once leaving her lips.


	10. Who Would Have Thought

**This one is set near the beginning of Duel Destinies, I hope you enjoy!**

Edgeworth honestly had no idea how this man had passed all the necessary tests to become a detective. From what he could tell, he was one of the most incompetent people he had ever met. Sure, he had dealt with seemingly incapable detectives before- especially those who seemed to have a habit of leaking information to the defense. But Detective Fulbright was on a whole different level. His intentions were clearly good and 'in the name of justice' but his actions seemed to portray something entirely different. Even Wright himself had more tact than this man could ever hope to possess. Edgeworth was suddenly extremely grateful for his position as Chief Prosecutor, as it meant he would never have to directly work with the man as his subordinate. But then again, being the Chief Prosecutor also meant that for any mistake the detective made, he would have to take some of the blame for it. That part worried him greatly. He had only been in this position for a year and he certainly wasn't prepared to lose it because of an error made by someone he thought didn't even seem qualified to be a detective in the first place. So, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Much to his distaste, Edgeworth realised the only way to make sure this man stayed in check was to give him some proper training. And since it was rare anyone wanted to be stuck with the job of training the new guy no matter the profession, Edgeworth decided the only solution was to take on a case himself and appoint Detective Fulbright as the lead detective on it. This, as he quickly discovered, was not an overly wise move.

The first problem hit before he had even left his office. He was just about to leave when he heard voices outside of his door.

"-don't understand. I can't leave Prosecutor Blackquill's side"

"Please, sir. You need to calm down"

"What appears to be the problem here?" Edgeworth asked, opening his door to a red-faced Fulbright and a rather frightened looking police officer.

"Finally, someone who will understand!" Fulbright sighed in relief "There seems to be an error in the recent paperwork I received. You see, it says I am to be working on a case with you. And, while to do so would be an honour, I simply cannot leave Prosecutor Blackquill-"

"Do not worry, he is in good hands" Edgeworth said, stepping fully out of his office and shutting the door behind him.

"What? I don't- I think there has been some kind of mistake" Fulbright protested.

"Do you really think _I_ would make such an obvious error?" Edgeworth glared at the detective who began to squirm under the prosecutor's harsh gaze.

"But-"

"Come, detective. We're already late. Let's not delay any further" Edgeworth said sharply before briskly walking down the corridor, leaving Fulbright no choice but to follow him. Everything went relatively smoothly as they drove down to the crime scene. It was far more awkward than pleasant but nothing drastic was done or said. Until they reached the crime scene. The incident- a murder- had happened pretty recently, so the body was still laying on the ground. Edgeworth approached the man with a detached, analytical air about him. But Fulbright was acting as though he had never seen a dead body before in his life. Edgeworth turned around to see his face- in fact, his entire body- had paled, his eyes were wide with fear, and his hands were shaking by his sides.

"Detective? Are you quite alright?" Edgeworth asked more out of confusion than actual concern.

"Oh, I'm fine" Fulbright said, suddenly shaking himself out of his apparent fear. Edgeworth frowned in confusion but decided it would be easier to not say anything. The two of them examined the body- it appeared the poor man had been shot in the chest at point blank, most likely killing him instantly. After a while, Edgeworth stood and left Fulbright to continue with the body as he looked around the rest of the crime scene. They were in the entrance to quite a narrow alleyway, but luckily the police had arrived here quickly and had blocked it off to prevent any other civilians walking down here and seeing the body for themselves. Edgeworth continued to gaze around until something caught his eye.

"What's this?" Edgeworth asked as he stepped towards the brick wall behind the victim's body. There appeared to be some kind of message scrawled on it but it was obscured by dirt and mud.

"Someone clean this wall off" Edgeworth requested and Fulbright instantly jumped to attention. Edgeworth couldn't help himself and rolled his eyes as he watched Fulbright walk away to find something to clean the wall with. Edgeworth turned back to the victim's body and continued to examine the wounds. Several minutes later, Fulbright returned with what looked like a huge water hose.

"This should do the trick" Fulbright stated proudly.

"A little over the top, but it will do" Edgeworth said, standing up.

"Now, how do I get this thing working" Fulbright muttered to himself. But hardly a second later, a powerful stream of water shot from the end of the hose. Unfortunately, Fulbright had failed to take into account the fact that someone was standing in between him and the wall. Slowly he looked up to see Edgeworth glaring fiercely at him, his entire body soaked with water. Everyone fell silent as they stared at the two of them.

"Sorry, sir" Fulbright apologised with an embarrassed laugh.

"Where is Detective Gumshoe? I don't think I can stand this idiot much longer! I need Detective Gumshoe back" Edgeworth suddenly demanded, his eyes flaring with anger. A few people stared at him, a few backed away, he was pretty sure he even saw one officer pull out his phone and actually ask about Gumshoe's whereabouts. But despite his anger and the absolute ridiculousness of the situation he was in, Edgeworth found himself smiling. Who would have thought he would ever say those words.


	11. Nightmares

**I honestly didn't mean to leave it this long for another update, sorry! Anyway, this one is set just after Phoenix loses his badge.**

At first, Phoenix wasn't quite sure what had woken him up. He sat up and slowly glanced around the still, dark room but found no signs of movement or sound. He lay back down a shut his eyes once more. But they flew back open a few moments later when he heard someone calling out. For a moment he froze, silently questioning why there was someone in his apartment. Then he remembered that he no longer lived alone- he still hadn't quite gotten used to that. Hastily, he climbed out of bed and made his way to the room that was slowly transforming from 'the spare room' to 'Trucy's room'. There he found Trucy sat bolt upright in bed, seemingly frozen in fear. As soon as she saw Phoenix, her trance seemed to break.

"Daddy!" she called out before bursting into tears. Instinctively, Phoenix rushed over to her and pulled her into a hug. She instantly latched herself onto him, her small hands clutching onto his t-shirt. He had never really seen Trucy cry before. She'd been living with him for almost three months now and sure, there were a few small tears about little things like getting glue in her hair and not being able to get it out or getting stuck on a particularly difficult math question. They were all normal things children got a little upset about then forgot about ten minutes later. But this was different. This wasn't annoyance or frustration. These tears were lonely and absolutely terrified. He slowly slid her onto his lap and began rocking her gently.

"Hush, it's okay" Phoenix whispered softly, running his hands through her hair "I'm sorry your Daddy isn't here, but I promise I'm trying to find him for you"

"I was calling for you" Trucy admitted quietly, her tears slowly subsiding. Phoenix was so taken aback that he found himself lost for words. He temporarily pushed those words from his mind and instead focused on calming Trucy down. Her grip on his t-shirt loosened and her sobs gradually turned into quiet sniffles and hiccups. They stayed there for a little bit longer before Trucy let out a loud yawn.

"Let's get you back to bed" Phoenix suggested, flicking back the covers and laying Trucy down. She yawned again as he pulled the covers up and over her body.

"Thanks, Daddy" Trucy mumbled sleepily.

"You're welcome, Trucy" Phoenix whispered with a smile, placing a kiss on her forehead before standing up, turning the lights off, and leaving the room. As he shut the door behind him, he glanced over to his bedroom. But after a moment of thought, he realised that he probably wouldn't be getting much sleep any time soon. So instead he walked over to the couch, sat down, and drew a long and heavy sigh.

When he had taken Trucy under his wing, he hadn't really been sure what he was doing. Her father had disappeared into thin air, she had nowhere else to go, and he had just lost his job over something he was certain wasn't his fault. To say his mind had been reeling would be an understatement. But the simple little moment of comfort that just occurred had made Phoenix realise something he hadn't had the time to consider before- Trucy trusted him, she felt safe with him, she even thought of him like a father. And, in a way, that calmed him. He had been worried she would spend her time with him feeling awkward and out of place, but thankfully that didn't appear to be the case.

Then he began to think about what kind of father Zak must have been. Sure, he appeared to care for his daughter and she appeared to love him as utterly and completely as children often did. But Phoenix couldn't help now putting all of that into question. If Trucy really did adore him as a loved daughter would, could she really have seen him as anything more than a temporary safe house- a caregiver only until her father returned for her? But what Trucy felt towards Phoenix was deeper than that. She had been in a moment of complete vulnerability and who had she called for? Him, she called out for him. Not Zak, not anyone else. Him. And that led Phoenix to believe that Zak may not have been the father he had made himself out to be.

Which then caused Phoenix to begin thinking of Trucy's mother. According to Zak, she had been killed in an accident during a show rehearsal a few years ago. However, along with other facts about the case that had cost him his badge, he was beginning to put that into question. Was she truly dead or was there more to all of this than there first appeared to be? The Troupe Gramarye seemed to have an interesting and on going habit of keeping secrets. That only made it more likely that Thalassa was, in fact, still alive. Maybe no one else knew, maybe even she didn't remember what had happened to her. But whatever was going on, Phoenix knew he had to get to the bottom of it all. He decided there and then, as he slowly began drifting to sleep, that he needed to find Trucy's mother no matter what. She deserved that much at least.

Once he finally managed to fall asleep, curled up on the couch, his last conscious thought was of Trucy's smiling face.


	12. Turnabout Sisters

**This one ended up a little more bittersweet than I intended it too. Set just before The First Turnabout.**

Maya glared down at her phone when it began ringing. She had been trying to study and the sudden sound of her ringtone in the otherwise silent room had startled her. But her sour expression quickly turned sweet when she saw who exactly was calling her.

"Hi, Sis" she greeted, answering her phone.

"Hey, Maya! How have you been?" Mia asked on the other end of the phone and Maya's smile widened at the sound of her sister's voice.

"Not too bad. Still miss you loads" Maya admitted, although she would always be proud of her sister for having the courage to leave Kurain village and pursue her dreams.

"Awh, I miss you too"

"How's the whole lawyer thing going?"

"Pretty good, especially since I got my own firm up and running. 'Fey & Co. Law Offices' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Yeah, now you just need someone to fill the 'Co.' spot" Maya lightly teased.

"That's actually why I called you; I've hired someone" Mia told Maya, to her surprise.

"You have? Who is it?" Maya asked excitedly, bouncing up and down in her chair.

"His name in Phoenix Wright. I'd met him once before, a long time ago. But he's changed a lot since then- he's grown up a bit, I think. He's actually only just got out of uni"

"Really?" Maya gasped slightly. That was pretty young for a lawyer, even one just starting out.

"Yeah, he was majoring in art actually" Mia said with an amused tone.

"Art? Then why on Earth are you hiring him?" Maya asked incredulously.

"He'd been studying law on the side for a while. I'm not entirely sure why, though. Since art and law aren't really two things that go well together. He said it was something about wanting to save a friend of his but he doesn't seem to want to talk about it. But he's passed the bar test and I think he's ready" Mia explained.

"Well, at least he's qualified. When do I get to meet him?" Maya asked exactly as Mia had expected her to.

"Soon, I hope. Maybe you can come down to visit sometime and we could all go out for burgers or something?" Mia suggested and Maya nodded vigorously until she realised her sister could actually see her.

"That sounds great!" Maya remembered to say. The two of them continued to chat with each other for a while longer before Maya let out a very loud yawn.

"Oh, I didn't realise how late it is! We really did have a lot to catch up on, didn't we? Anyway, I'll let you get some rest" Mia said, stifling her own yawn as she glanced over at her clock.

"Night, Sis" Maya sighed sleepily.

"Goodnight" Mia replied, smiling to herself before hanging up. If there was one thing she missed about being in Kurain village, it was her sister.

* * *

Phoenix still couldn't believe this was really happening; he was actually a practising lawyer, at a real law firm. Okay, so he hadn't had any of his own cases yet. But he'd helped Mia out with a few. It was hard to believe she was the same woman who had saved his life those few years ago. Then again, it was hard to believe he was the same man. Both of them had changed considerably. And yet, a lot had remained the same. Lately, Mia had been talking more and more about her family. Or, more specifically, her younger sister Maya. Apparently, she had talked to Maya over the phone the day Phoenix had accepted her offer to come and work with her and Maya had been excited to meet him ever since. But because of reasons Mia seemed oddly reluctant to reveal, Maya hadn't been able to come over and visit yet. But from what Mia had said about her, she seemed like a really sweet girl. Phoenix hoped he'd be able to meet her one day too.

But for now, Phoenix needed to focus on his case notes. He was preparing for his first trial. Neither he nor Mia had planned to have him be the main defense in a trial so soon but, just as Phoenix's luck would have it, Larry had somehow gotten himself accused of murder. So Phoenix had jumped to defend him even when every other attorney had turned Larry away. Mia seemed dubious at first but then she saw how much Phoenix cared about his friend and decided to let Phoenix have a shot. At least she would still be by his side in case anything went wrong. And that's how she hoped it would always be- her and Phoenix, by each other's sides and running this law firm together as one. If only that had been the case...


	13. Looking Back, Moving Forward

**This one turned out a little differently to what I had originally planned but I'm still pretty happy with it. Set after DD. Enjoy!**

Simon Blackquill was no stranger to deceit and betrayal. They were two things that had followed him throughout his life. His family had abandoned him, his friends rarely stayed around for long, the law had turned against him, even God- or whatever holy deity that may or may not exist up there- seemed to constantly turn a blind eye to him. But this was something he could never have been prepared for. Detective Bobby Fulbright- no, The Phantom- lay on the ground, right in front of Simon's eyes. He stared, unable to move his gaze from the man's shadowed face. Everything he had known about him was a lie- everything he had told him, all that he had shown him. It was all a lie. And for some reason, that shook Simon to the very core. Trust was not something that came easily to him, yet somehow he had found himself trusting Fulbright. How cruelly ironic was it that the one person he had found himself wholeheartedly trusting in longer than he could remember was the one person to completely betray him. As he stared at the shadowed face of the man he thought he had known, memories flashed through his mind. How could he have done this? Why? That's really all Simon wanted to know; why? Had there even been a reason at all?

Everyone in the courtroom was slowly ushered out, himself included. But he kept his eyes focused on the body laying on the floor until the very last moment. He managed to keep himself away from the majority of the crowd as they surrounded Phoenix Wright; the hero of the hour, of course. But it couldn't last and eventually, Athena found him sitting by himself on the steps outside the courthouse. Although, he definitely wasn't hiding. Samurais don't hide.

"Simon, there you are! I've been looking for you everywhere" Athena called out, jogging down the steps towards him. Simon looked over his shoulder towards her but still couldn't bring himself to smile despite how cheerful and well-meaning she was being. In truth, he just wanted to be left alone. But he could never turn away Athena, no matter how much he may have wanted to. She sat down beside him and smiled brightly.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" Athena asked him but the smile on her face fell as soon as Simon didn't answer her. She shuffled a little closer to him and linked her arm with his but said nothing else. She didn't try to push him for an answer which may have been why, after a few minutes, Simon found himself opening up to her anyway.

"I trusted him, Athena. I believed in every word he said to me and look where that got me" Simon finally admitted, looking down at his hands as they lay motionless in his lap.

"That's not your fault. How were you supposed to know who he truly was?" Athena instantly reassured him.

"I should have known. I should have seen right through him. But I didn't" Simon sighed, glancing over at Athena's worried face.

"You couldn't have known who he was any more than we could, Simon. He fooled us all" Athena said, nudging their shoulders together gently. A few more minutes of silence passed by before Athena suddenly stood. Simon looked up to see her hand offered down to him. Slowly he reached up, held her hand in his, and pulled himself up to standing. Athena kept hold of his hand as she gently pulled him forwards and led him back into the courthouse. He followed her obligingly and soon they turned a corner and were faced with Phoenix who smiled upon seeing them.

"I was just about to come look for you, Athena. Everyone's going down to the burger place down the road and I figured you'd probably want in" Phoenix explained and Athena's eyes lit up.

"Sure thing, boss!" Athena replied. Simon was never strictly speaking invited but it seemed no one minded him tagging along anyway despite how quiet he was being.

Slowly the days rolled into weeks and Simon's mind finally began to accept what had happened. He'd kept himself locked in his office and had even turned down any cases offered to him. Which was why it came as such a surprise when Simon arrived at his office one day to find a letter tucked under the door. He picked it up cautiously and turned it over in his hands several times before finally opening it. The letter was an invitation to a rocket launch at Cosmos Space Centre. Specifically, a rocket launch carrying Solomon Starbuck which in itself surprised Simon. How could he have the courage to return to space so soon after what had happened to him? Starbuck was facing his greatest fear mere weeks after the death of his friend and yet Simon couldn't even bring himself to leave his office most days. He sighed and pulled his hands over his face. He read through the letter one last time before making up his mind. With a determined look on his face, he opened the door to his office and strode outside. As he walked out, his receptionist glanced up at him with a curious expression.

"Find me a case" Simon requested and her eyes lit up instantly.

"Of course" she replied with a smile and Simon found himself smiling back. It was time to stop dwelling on the past, and finally begin moving forward into the future.


	14. Snowfall

**So this was supposed to be published for Christmas/New Year but I ended up being super busy around that time. But better late than never, right?**

"This is absurdly intense" Ema whispered, staring out at the scene in front of her.

"It always is before they start" Gumshoe whispered back.

"What are they waiting for?" Kay leaned over Gumshoe's shoulder so he could hear her.

"Until someone breaks and throws. Once that happens, all hell breaks loose" Maya answered her in an equally quiet tone.

The four of them looked on to a scene that would have even the most experienced prosecutors holding their breath. And by the looks of it, they were. On one side stood Edgeworth, Franziska, Klavier, and Simon all perfectly still and poised. Opposite them, stood a few feet away were Phoenix, Apollo, Athena, and Trucy glaring at them. The rest of the group watched on from the sidelines in anticipation for someone to crack and kick-start this year's annual snowball fight between the Prosecutors' office and Wright Anything Agency. No one really knew when or why the tradition had started- although a few of them had a feeling it stemmed from Phoenix and Edgeworth when they were younger, despite the fact that they both denied it- but prosecutors and defense attorneys gathered after the first snowfall of the year for a snowball fight that allowed them bragging rights for the rest of the year. All was calm and quiet…

"Now!" Trucy suddenly yelled and, in a surprising show of coordination, everyone on the Wright Anything Agency side threw their snowballs at exactly the same time and each one hit their target. Then using the few extra seconds they had gained by disorientating the other side, all four of them dived into separate hiding spots- Phoenix behind a nearby low wall, Trucy behind a parked car, Apollo next to Klavier's motorcycle (not the best hiding spot but he knew anyone would be hesitant to throw anything at it), and Athena behind a tree.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Franziska yelled and that seemed to kick start the rest of the prosecutors into motion. And so, the annual snowball fight began. It started off slow with everyone making calculated and strategic moves. But, just the same as every year previous to this, it quickly descended into an uncoordinated madness. Snow flew in all directions and squeals and huffed breaths came from everyone who had to dodge an oncoming snowball- including the people simply stood watching on the sidelines. Soon, the people watching seemed to be hit more times than those actually participating.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not taking any free hits without fighting back" Ema yelled above the noise before hurling a snowball straight at Klavier's chest. Maya and Kay cheered before following suit. Soon enough everyone was involved and all concept of 'taking sides' had dissolved into oblivion. It was a complete free for all.

"Screw the rules!" Athena shouted, throwing a ball of snow at Apollo who had stupidly trusted her to stay on his side. He jumped back and squeaked as the cold snow slid down his back.

"I'll get you for that" Apollo yelled back at her, charging towards her with snow in hand. As he ran after her, Edgeworth took a risk and threw a snowball at Franziska. As soon as it hit her, she whipped around and glared at him.

"You fool" she whispered dangerously under her breath before hurling two snowballs at him at the same time.

After almost an entire hour, things finally started to slow down. With the combined effort of everyone's exhaustion and the growing lack of available snow around them, the fight slowed to a halt. Klavier sat down next to his motorcycle- which, by some miracle, hadn't suffered a single hit- with Ema and Franziska either side of him. Phoenix, Trucy, Apollo, and Maya had collapsed in a heap next to a nearby tree. Edgeworth, Kay, and Gumshoe sat themselves down on a bench and Athena and Simon simply leaned against each other for support. Silence washed over the group as they all tried to catch their breath and get some energy back. But eventually, that silence had to be broken with the question on everyone's minds.

"So, who won?" Maya called out. Instantly, everyone erupted into shouting, all claiming that their 'team' had won bragging rights for the year. In the end, no one could decide on a winner and the argument lasted the whole year long. But that only made the following year's first snowfall that much better.


End file.
